‘We are all citizens of the Mediterranean’: #WEMED conference launches Cross Border Cooperation in the Mediterranean programme
Over 350 participants from the 13 countries involved in the EU-funded programme Cross Border Cooperation in the Mediterranean Sea Basin (ENI CBCMed) attended the programme’s launching conference #WEMED organised in Athens on the 16 of December 2016. Discussions shed light on the importance of developing impactful and long-lasting cooperation to address crucial challenges and make a positive contribution to the lives of men and women across the Mediterranean region.
“The impact achieved by Cross-Border Cooperation programmes is considerable and makes a real difference for citizens living and working in border regions. In view of the political and economic turmoil of the last years in the Southern Neighbourhood, I am convinced that Cross-Border Cooperation is one the most powerful tools we have to contribute to the stabilization of regions”, said the EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn in a video-message aired during the conference.
The impact of funded projects on people was at the heart of the first session of the conference “Stories of Mediterranean cooperation: experiences of final beneficiaries from funded projects under the ENPI CBC Med Programme”, during which several inspiring Euro-Mediterranean cooperation stories were showcased.
The second session focused on the growing challenges in the Mediterranean region – including security, migrations, impact of climate change, economic growth, youth unemployment – in view of highlighting the shared priorities and approaches which can help build new momentum in Euro-Mediterranean relations.
During the conference, the programme’s Managing Authority presented the strategy and priorities of the Programme as well as the main elements of the first call for proposals (see presentations below), approved by the representatives of the participating countries two days before WEMED.
The “Connect” session allowed participants to share their project ideas and find potential partners/consolidate existing partnerships based on the Programme Thematic Objectives and Priorities. Networking was also facilitated by the “Cooperation Wall”, a 4 meter large board on which dozens of project ideas and requests for partners were posted.
The ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme 2014-2020 follows the ENPI (European Neighbourhood Instrument and Partnership) CBC Med 2007-2013. Funded by the European Union and managed by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy), the Programme will offer cooperation opportunities between partners from the Mediterranean area in fields of intervention such as economic development, education and research, social inclusion and environmental protection.
For more information: http://www.euneighbours.eu/
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